Clock-spring support



March 22,1927. 1,621,894 s. H. MOSCOVITZ CLOCK SPRING SUPPORT Filed Jan. 20, 1926 4 liwg ATTORNE Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

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SAMUEL H. MGSCOVLITZ, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

CLOCK-SPRING- SUPPORT.

Application filed January 20, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in casings for supporting and containing clock springs, -leeing pa-tricularly directed to barrels or casings enclosing springs for forming the actuating or driving mechanism for clocks. in "the present type of so-called eight day clock, the driving spring usually is positioned in a cylindrical casing or barrel so that the expansion of the same about the spindle forming its central point of support is eliminated; there being a frictional and subsequently positive limitation to the contact of the spring against the walls forming the side of this casing or barrel. It is evident that this limitation due to the tricti'on-al resistance and, operating against the expansion of the spring cuts down the chiciency 05E the spring to an appreciable extent.

It is particularly the purpose of this inmention to provide for a 11 vol form of casing or support associated with the spring element for driving the clock mechanism whereby the driving spring will have unlirnited non-frictional play so that the perind of sustenance and driving time of the spring will be increased materially and practically t0 the extent of twofold.

It is the purpose of this invention particularly to eliminate the use of a casing which usually is in the form of a cylinder eitheropen at the top and covered by the blaclrplate of the clock, or completely enclosed cylinder, and to substitute therefor, a simple Jlate or section of a plate havin an ottset support at one extremity to support one end or extremity of the driving spring, whereby the spring will have free play as to its expansion and whereby no limitation may be imposed upon its contraction or expansive movement du to contact, frictional or otherwise against any walls.

in general, it is aimed to provide an angular plate having apertures therein for the reception of a spindle, disposed centrally at the base portion thereof, which spindle has attached thereto to one extremity of a driving spring, while he other aperture positioned on the other section of the lat and forming an ofi set angle bar is adapted to maintain the other extremity of the driving spring in fixed relationship so that the rotation of the spindle within the aperture of the base of the plate will allow for the Winding and unwinding from the complete Serial No. 82,389.

compression to the complete expansion of the spring.

i"ii1iong the objects of the invention it is aimed to provide a novel form of support associated with the driving spring of a clock whereby considerable freedom of movement for exaansion or compression of the said driving spring is permitted; to provide for a novel iorm or supporting element in the term of an angle bar co-operating with a spindle for supporting and controlling the movement of the spring; to provide a rotating support having one angular projection thereon attachable to one end of a driving spring whereby the spring may be wound about a stationery spindle to complete compression and which spring when being unwound upon actuation of the driving means in the clock will not be restrained in expansion by frictional or pressure contact; to provide a novel form of support for a driving spring which support allows for ease of insertion and removal of the driving spring therefrom; and finally to provide a simple structure for supporting the driving spring whereby the cost 01" production of the same and the amount of material composing the same are materially reduced in quantum, while at the same time a two-fold increased etliciency of the spring contained therein is provided.

These and other advantages, capabilities, and features of the invention will appear from the subjoint detail description of one specific embodiment therefor illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a clock forming the subject matter of this invention.

Figure 2 is a section along lines 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the sub ject mattter of this invention.

Figure is an isometric view of a modified form of the invention including the cooperating parts.

Referring more particularly to the reference characters oi the drawing, numeral 1, represents the back plate of a clock which back plate is supported in co-operating relation with the front plates 2 and '3 by means of pillar series 4 and 5 on respective sides about the periphery of the clock. In the front portion of the clock there is supported a dial and the casing therefore, of which 6 represents the casing, and 7 represents the well known form of crystal associated with the casing.

The gears and the driving mechanism for the clock being old, no description will be made of the same, in combination with the subject matter of the invention except where it concerns the particular spring driving mechanism.

Referring to Figures 2, 3 and 4 the back plate has supported thereon the casing member'8, consisting of a flat disk 9 having a right angular projection 10 thereof. This right angular projection 10 has formed therein, an aperture 11 and the base portion, 9 has formed therein an aperture 12. Through the aperture 12 of the base portion there is adapted to pass a fixedly positioned spindle 13, which spindle is fixed to one of the central plates in the clock, not numbered. The base member 8 has fastened thereto a pawl 15 and a gear or ratchet 17, which gear or ratchet 17 has attached thereto at its extremity a key 18. An extension from the gear in the form of a collar 14 passes through an aperture 12 of the base member9 which collar is fixed directly to the base by means of a riveting operation, whereby the casing member 8 is rotated by the movement of the key. The pawl member 15 is actuated by the spring 16 whereby the pawl is always in contact with a gear 17 which rotates about the back plate 1, and which gear rotates directly with the casing member 8 to the disk portion 9 of which it is riveted by means of the collar 14.

Referring to Figures '2, 3, and 4 the spring member 19 is attachable at one extremity thereof to the angular pro ection 10, by means of the bolt member 20 which bolt member passes through the aperture 11 of the projection, and the said spring member is attachable at its other extremity by passing around the spindle 13 in the form of a loop 21, one portion of the loop which is fixed to the spindle member by means of a pin 22. In this manner the rotation of the casing member 8 upon actuation of the gear member 17 fixed thereto will cause the extremity of the spring fastened to the projection 10 to rotate about the axis of the spindle 13 and consequently to become compressed thereabout, as the key 18 rotates.

against thetension of the pawl 15.

In Figure 4 there is shown a modification of the angle plate for supporting the spring, in that the right angular strip 23 is adapted to be fixed directly to the collar 14 of the gearrmember 17 passing through the aperture in the back plate member 1. The spindle is as in the other figures fixedly supported on one of the center plates in the clock. The right angular strip 23 to which one extremity of the spring 19 is attached is adapted to rotate upon actuation thereof by means of the key 18 rotating the gear 17 which is fixed to said angle strip 23 by means of the collar. The spring at its other extremity is likewise attached by a pin extending from the spindle 13 and penetrating into the loop at that extremity. In this manner the spring member 19 is not restrained as far as lateral expansion is concerned within the confines of the angle bar 23 and upon being compressed through the rotating of the gear 17 and consequently the angle bar member 23 fixed thereto, will be capable of expansion to a considerable degree without having a positive frictional contact with any adjacent wall of the rotating or supporting member, such as is common in the conventional form of spring barrel.

This elimination of the ordinary form of easing or barrel provides for an increase in the length of time of operation of the driven mechanism of the clock from eight to fifteen days which will obviously increase the efficiency of a clock. At the same time there occurs a considerable decrease in the production cost due to the elimination of considerable metal and to the simplicity of the novel form of structural support which will be capable of application to serve as a spring support for varying types of clocks.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a driving spring, of an angle bar for supporting the spring, said angle bar being adapted on one face to support the spring and atits opposite face to have fixedly attached thereto one extremity of the spring, a spindle for maintaining the other extremity of the spring in fixed relation and means for rotating said angle bar to compress the spring.

2. A support for driving spr'mg in clocks consisting of an angle bar, one face upon which the spring is adapted to be supported and the other face of which one extremity of the spring is adapted to be attached.

3. A mechanism for clocks consisting of a rotatable an le bar, a spring member sup ported on one face of said angle bar and having one extremity thereof fixed to the other face of said angle bar, means for fixedly supporting the other extremity of said spring, and means for rotating said angle bar to compress the spring.

SAMUEL H. MOSCOVITZ. 

